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Golf Cart Fuel Pump Problems: Clogged

Golf cart fuel pump problems can often be caused by a clogged up pump due to debris and other foreign objects. We did another tutorial last month regarding golf cart fuel pump problems, but we had a special case in the shop a few days ago and thought it might be worth a follow-up. Below, we’ll discuss this case and fuel pump in further detail.

For a bit of background information, this particular fuel pump issue was on a Yamaha G2A golf cart. They have a 4 cycle engine and were produced from 1985-1991. This vehicle was left sitting in a garage for nearly three years without being cranked, or any maintenance performed. After installing a new battery, the engine would turn over and had good compression but would not fire up and run. Upon further inspection, our mechanics determined that no fuel was reaching the carburetor. The specific issue was golf cart fuel pump problems related to it being clogged by debris.

Most fuel pumps used on golf carts are vacuum powered by crankcase compression and are comprised of several “layers” with diaphragms between each layer. This pump was really, really clogged. The golf cart fuel pump problems shown here are direct results of not running the vehicle regularly. For the price you pay for gas nowadays, it should always be free from debris and have an indefinite shelf life without going bad.

One of the layers on this pump was clogged with some chalky white debris. We are not exactly sure how this came to be, but we suspect the gasoline just broke down over many years. When the layer on the opposite side of the fuel pump was examined, there were beige chunks inside. This side appears to also be the result of a fuel break-down over time. Basically, the fuel became a gel like substance as shown below. This is likely one of the worst examples of golf cart fuel pump problems we’ve ever encountered.

Often, fuel pumps can be cleaned out, repaired and rebuilt. But, after careful consideration, we decided this one was too far gone to be worth the effort. Even with a good cleaning, and a rebuild, there could still be issues with the fuel supply due to this problem. We made the decision to just replace the pump with new one.

After the golf cart fuel pump problems were repaired, we also needed to clean out the carburetor to remove similar varnish and debris, replaced all fuel lines and changed both fuel filters, both in the gas tank and inline. Once this work was completed, the cart runs as good as she did in the late 80’s.